Read all about it! The University of Michigan Wolverines are in the thick of the NCAA’s annual contest to name the No. 1 men’s college basketball team. To celebrate this annual hoopla, the Ann Arbor District Library is offering an opportunity to turn back the clock and experience the triumphs of an earlier Wolverine team, the 1963 ~ 1966 squad. The ups and downs of the three-time Big Ten champions was chronicled in the Ann Arbor News, especially in the passionate reporting of Wayne DeNeff. These photos and articles are available online through the Old News site, presenting the dramatic story of a great team.

Michigan's heading to the Big Dance this month and "Let's Go Blue" will be heard throughout the land as the Wolverines do battle in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. But there's an earlier fight song composed by the highly acclaimed Men's Glee Club director Philip A. Duey that, according to the Ann Arbor News, wowed them at the premiere on Saturday, April 2, 1966. Duey got out of bed at 3 a.m. just a few days before the concert and "went to his piano and composed the words and music for the new song in two hours." Professor Duey and "Go Blue!" received a standing ovation and Duey was "besieged by congratulatory phone call and letters."

We've digitized a selection of Ann Arbor News articles on Dr. Duey who served as director of the Men's Glee Club from 1947 to 1969 and transformed the UMMGC into an internationally-renowned organization. AADL has a recording of Duey's "Go Blue!" by the Men's Glee Club. Listen to an excerpt here. Want to perform your own version? We've got the sheet music in our reference collection.

Here are the lyrics to the original Go Blue! A bit more of a tongue-twister but maybe the magic of the Cazzie Russell years will rub off on the 2012 team if we all sing it together. Check out our Old News Feature on the Michigan Men's Basketball glory years of 1963 ~ 1966 as they marched to three consecutive Big 10 championships and three memorable trips to the Big Dance. We've digitzed articles on the Bloody Nose Kids. Why the nickname? Find out in our podcast with George Pomey, a starter in those magical years who went on to coach for the Wolverines and do color commentary at the games. He's Blue through and through.

Go Blue! by Philip A. Duey

In old Ann Arbor town there are men of great renown,
They are ever out to fight and win the game.

On the court or on the field,
There's a will to never yield,
And to bring our Alma Mater ev'ry fame.

Here's a university whose name will ever be,
The greatest and the fairest in the land.

And we praise her far and near,
With our voices strong and clear,
For we know, where ever we go,
That none with her may stand.

Chorus

Go Blue! Let's go, Blue!
We're here to cheer for you.

Go Blue! Let's go, Blue!
No matter what the others have got,
They'll never come up to you.

This is Ann Arbor District Library's online exhibit of the history of the Ann Arbor Police Department since 1847. This research database includes a searchable picture exhibit of the police department with images dating as far back as 1871. It also includes an interesting True Crimes section as well as the history of police department's pistol range. To access AAPD History, go to the Research page, select Ann Arbor under the Complete subject listing category, and choose Ann Arbor Police Department History.

The Museum on Main Street is the most visible project of the Washtenaw County Historical Society. But there is much more the Society does to keep history alive in the county, including Washtenaw Impressions, a newsletter with feature articles from local historians like Susan Weinberg, family historians and history buffs with interest in everything from farm tools to heirloom toys. The Society hosts lectures, mounts exhibits and works with libraries and organizations throughout the county to share the Society's collections and knowledge.

Bev Willis, administrator for the WCHS, keeps it all running smoothly. Bev sat down with us to talk about her background in graphic arts, how she came to WCHS, Impressions and the history of the Museum on Main Street. Bev talked about some of the unique collections at the Museum and the people who visit, including the descendants of the original owners of the house that became the Museum.

On Thursday November 10, 2011, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Downtown Library, Randy Hotton, director of Flight Operations at the Yankee Air Museum in Belleville will share his extensive research on the World War II history of the Willow Run Bomber Plant.

Join us to learn about the incredible mobilization to make B-24 Liberator bombers for the war effort. At the peak the plant produced one of these 70,547 lb. bombers per hour!

In addition to a great a command of Willow Run history, Randy is a retired U.S. Navy captain who began his aviation career as a pilot in P-3 Orion aircraft flying anti-submarine patrols during the Cold War, and now flies with USA Jet Airlines and the Yankee Air Museum in C-47 and B-17 bombers.

The Wednesday lecture on October 19 is titled I'm Still Here, Acts Two and Three and features "Theatre Historian J. B. Harris, who continues his research for his planned book on the surviving opera houses of Michigan by telling us about the Tibbits Theater in Coldwater, and the Calumet theatre in Calumet."

The following Wednesday lecture is titled Lodi Township, Past, Present and Future and features "preservationists Margaret Canham and Wayne Clements, who have long had an interest in Lodi Township history, and will update us on efforts towards restoring the cemetery and the original Township Hall. The latter is reputedly the third oldest in Michigan."

Kempf House Museum is located at 312 S. Division Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Admission is $1.00 for members, and $2.00 for non-members.

A more infamous side of Washtenaw County history will come to life in Fallen Women & Female Felons, a presentation by Susan Nenadic that covers everything from pickpocketing to murder by the fairer sex. The program will be held at the Bentley Historical Library on Sunday, Sept. 18th, 2:00 p.m. ~ 4:00 p.m. The WCHS program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 734.662.9092 or email wchs-500@ameritech.net.

The Michigan Library Association recently announced that long-time Trustee of the Ann Arbor District Library, Ed Surovell, will receive this year's MLA Trustee Citation of Merit, the highest award bestowed by the Association for a Library Board Trustee. In this episode, Ed talks with us about the origins of his successful real estate company, Edward Surovell Realtors; his long history with libraries and the book industry; and his personal collections and interests. He also discusses the responsibilities of an elected Trustee and recollects some of the challenges he faced while serving on the inaugural AADL Board of 1996.

This Saturday, June 4th, will be the annual African American Downtown Festival in Ann Arbor! The festival will be a multicultural and multi-generational celebration of African American history in Ann Arbor. The location of the festival (4th and Ann) is significant due to it being the historical epicenter in Ann Arbor of African American owned businesses, culture and family life. Fun times to be had by all!

If you're interested in doing some research into the history of African Americans in Washtenaw County, the AADL has several resources for you:

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